Robert Lutwak

The AC on our '96 850 (with fancy climate control) works great for about
5-10 minutes after you turn it on, after which it blows warm air.

The dealer couldn't find any leaks after injecting dye into the system and
looking for it under UV.

I don't think the climate control system is turning off the AC because it's
still running the fan at full on.

What should I look at next ?

Thanks, as always, in advance,

-----

-RL

Jim Carriere

Robert Lutwak wrote:
> The AC on our '96 850 (with fancy climate control) works great for about
> 5-10 minutes after you turn it on, after which it blows warm air.
>
> The dealer couldn't find any leaks after injecting dye into the system and
> looking for it under UV.
>
> I don't think the climate control system is turning off the AC because it's
> still running the fan at full on.
>
> What should I look at next ?
>
> Thanks, as always, in advance,

Is the evaporator drain plugged? On very humid days you should be
able to see the water drip and run out from underneath the middle of
the car.

Dale Peterson

"Robert Lutwak" <Lutwak@alum.mit.edu> wrote in message
news:fsWdneXuv4YVGXzfRVn-rA@comcast.com...
> The AC on our '96 850 (with fancy climate control) works great for about
> 5-10 minutes after you turn it on, after which it blows warm air.
>
> The dealer couldn't find any leaks after injecting dye into the system and
> looking for it under UV.
>
> I don't think the climate control system is turning off the AC because
> it's still running the fan at full on.
>
> What should I look at next ?
>
> Thanks, as always, in advance,
>
> -----
>
> -RL
>

Robert,
Could be Evaporator icing........
Dale Peterson

Robert Lutwak

I was thinking it might be something like that, icing over of the
evaporator.

That isn't the usual sign of failed evaporator, is it?

Is it fixable?


-----

-RL


"Dale Peterson" <dale_peterson@charter.net> wrote in message
news:kGfEe.1666$VG6.1297@fe07.lga...
>
> "Robert Lutwak" <Lutwak@alum.mit.edu> wrote in message
> news:fsWdneXuv4YVGXzfRVn-rA@comcast.com...
>> The AC on our '96 850 (with fancy climate control) works great for about
>> 5-10 minutes after you turn it on, after which it blows warm air.
>>
>> The dealer couldn't find any leaks after injecting dye into the system
>> and looking for it under UV.
>>
>> I don't think the climate control system is turning off the AC because
>> it's still running the fan at full on.
>>
>> What should I look at next ?
>>
>> Thanks, as always, in advance,
>>
>> -----
>>
>> -RL
>>
>
> Robert,
> Could be Evaporator icing........
> Dale Peterson

Michael Pardee

"Robert Lutwak" <Lutwak@alum.mit.edu> wrote in message
news:fsWdneXuv4YVGXzfRVn-rA@comcast.com...
> The AC on our '96 850 (with fancy climate control) works great for about
> 5-10 minutes after you turn it on, after which it blows warm air.
>
> The dealer couldn't find any leaks after injecting dye into the system and
> looking for it under UV.
>
> I don't think the climate control system is turning off the AC because
> it's still running the fan at full on.
>
> What should I look at next ?
>
> Thanks, as always, in advance,
>
> -----
>
> -RL
>
Doesn't the '96 have the infamous compressor overtemp cutout switch? IIRC
they got rid of it in later years, but earlier 850s had the troublesome
switch on the rear of the compressor. They didn't seem to save compressors,
just cause symptoms like yours. The gurus will probably provide the details.

Mike

Glenn Klein

Michael Pardee wrote:
> "Robert Lutwak" <Lutwak@alum.mit.edu> wrote in message
> news:fsWdneXuv4YVGXzfRVn-rA@comcast.com...
>
>>The AC on our '96 850 (with fancy climate control) works great for about
>>5-10 minutes after you turn it on, after which it blows warm air.
>>
>>The dealer couldn't find any leaks after injecting dye into the system and
>>looking for it under UV.
>>
>>I don't think the climate control system is turning off the AC because
>>it's still running the fan at full on.
>>
>>What should I look at next ?
>>
>>Thanks, as always, in advance,
>>
>>-----
>>
>>-RL
>>
>
> Doesn't the '96 have the infamous compressor overtemp cutout switch? IIRC
> they got rid of it in later years, but earlier 850s had the troublesome
> switch on the rear of the compressor. They didn't seem to save compressors,
> just cause symptoms like yours. The gurus will probably provide the details.
>
> Mike
>
>
Yes but if the car has a pollen filter check this also this will keep
the evaprator from breathing if it is clogged

--
"*-344-*Never Forgotten"
Is for the New York City Firemen who lost their lives on September 11,2001.
The official count is 343, but there was also a volunteer who lost his life
aiding in the initial rescue efforts. And I will never forget them as
long as I live,
nor should any American.

David Taylor

In article <fsWdneXuv4YVGXzfRVn-rA@comcast.com>, Lutwak@alum.mit.edu
says...
> The AC on our '96 850 (with fancy climate control) works great for about
> 5-10 minutes after you turn it on, after which it blows warm air.
>
> The dealer couldn't find any leaks after injecting dye into the system and
> looking for it under UV.
>
> I don't think the climate control system is turning off the AC because it's
> still running the fan at full on.
>
> What should I look at next ?

Clutch gap. I've just done mine during the heatwave and bypassed the
temp cutout at the same time. Gap should be 0.3 to 0.5mm and mine was
something like 1.2mm.

It's a bit of a pig to do as I found that I had to remove the ECU's the
ECU box, the belt, the power steering pump, the alternator and the
brackets for same before I could get to the compressor, then the
compressor has to be unbolted to get enough room to take the pulley off
just so that you can remove a shim.

Still it was worth it in the end.

David.

Doug Warner

"Robert Lutwak" <Lutwak@alum.mit.edu> wrote:

>I was thinking it might be something like that, icing over of the
>evaporator.
>
>That isn't the usual sign of failed evaporator, is it?


If icing was the problem, the airflow would go way down. Also, icing
is usually a sign of low refrigerant charge (At lest it was on my
home's system)

If it's the overtemp switch, the cooling will come and go, over about
a 5 minute cycle. I didsonnected the switch on my 94 years ago, and
haven't had a problem since.

To reply, please remove one letter from each side of "@"
Spammers are VERMIN. Please kill them all.

Bob(but not that Bob)

Robert Lutwak wrote:
>
> The AC on our '96 850 (with fancy climate control) works great for about
> 5-10 minutes after you turn it on, after which it blows warm air.
>
> The dealer couldn't find any leaks after injecting dye into the system and
> looking for it under UV.
>
> I don't think the climate control system is turning off the AC because it's
> still running the fan at full on.
>
> What should I look at next ?
>
> Thanks, as always, in advance,
>


My 960 did exactly the same thing, and it turned out to be a $15 temp
sensor at the rear of the engine.

Don't know whether the 5-cyl version of this engine has a similar sensor
/ Motronic setup.

Robert Lutwak

Based on the symptoms, I'm guessing it's the overtemp switch on the
compressor. Thanks to all who responded.


Is the overtemp switch a little square molded yellow thingie, about 1cm
square sitting atop the compressor?

Thanks,

-RL

-----







"Michael Pardee" <michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote in message
news:F4adncbjkb-dP3zfRVn-uA@sedona.net...
> "Robert Lutwak" <Lutwak@alum.mit.edu> wrote in message
> news:fsWdneXuv4YVGXzfRVn-rA@comcast.com...
>> The AC on our '96 850 (with fancy climate control) works great for about
>> 5-10 minutes after you turn it on, after which it blows warm air.
>>
>> The dealer couldn't find any leaks after injecting dye into the system
>> and looking for it under UV.
>>
>> I don't think the climate control system is turning off the AC because
>> it's still running the fan at full on.
>>
>> What should I look at next ?
>>
>> Thanks, as always, in advance,
>>
>> -----
>>
>> -RL
>>
> Doesn't the '96 have the infamous compressor overtemp cutout switch? IIRC
> they got rid of it in later years, but earlier 850s had the troublesome
> switch on the rear of the compressor. They didn't seem to save
> compressors, just cause symptoms like yours. The gurus will probably
> provide the details.
>
> Mike
>